Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Ask the Experts: Libyans’ Lack of Trust in Each Other Impedes Election Efforts
There have been several attempts to hold elections since Libya’s 2011 revolution. But so far, each has failed to produce a sustainable result. Any new electoral roadmap, such as the one recently proposed by U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily, must contend with the seemingly intractable issue at the heart of the conflict: a lack of trust between Libyans.
The Latest @ USIP: Russia, India and China’s Growing Trilateral Partnership
Russia has wanted strategic partners in Eurasia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with India and China emerging as the strongest candidates. But while Russia has pursued cooperation with the two in both multilateral forums and in trilateral relations, the war in Ukraine has left Russia more isolated than ever — meaning Russia needs India and China for its geopolitical pursuits more than India or China needs Russia. The Institute for Security and Development Policy’s Jagannath Panda discusses how Russia has influenced China-India relations, the implications for U.S. foreign policy, and how the United States can navigate multilateral forums that include this trilateral strategic alignment.
The Latest @ USIP: Development Financing Reform in the U.S.-Africa Partnership
While the COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine have caused economic shocks throughout Africa, the dire socioeconomic conditions in parts of the continent are also a product of how global, multilateral finance institutions are organized. African countries rarely have access to the development funds they need — and when they do, it’s often on stringent terms. Meanwhile, the continent’s socioeconomic struggles continue to exacerbate political and security crises as well. Solomon Dersso, founding director of Amani Africa, discusses the 2023 African Union Summit’s renewed focus on reforming development and trade and the importance of framing U.S.-Africa ties as a partnership built on mutual interests rather than a means to counter China or Russia.
The Latest @ USIP: A Veteran Reflects on the Evolution of the Iraq War
From battling insurgents to securing provincial elections, USIP military fellow Colonel Jim Modlin saw firsthand how the war in Iraq evolved over the course of his four deployments to the country. Twenty years later, Modlin discusses why he regrets not engaging more with the Iraqi people on a personal level during his first deployment, his experience helping guide a fledgling peace process to prevent sectarian violence in northwestern Iraq, and the lessons that the United States cannot afford to forget from the war.
The Latest: Three Things to Know About China-Pakistan Military Ties
While Pakistan and China maintain strong economic and diplomatic ties, it’s their bilateral military relationship that has grown most significantly in recent years. This threshold alliance still falls short of a formal treaty — something China has eschewed — but serves many of the same functions, and the prospect of Chinese naval bases on Pakistan’s shores has major implications for regional security. USIP’s Sameer Lalwani discusses his latest report on China-Pakistan military ties, how China could leverage this relationship in future great power competition and what U.S. leaders can do to seek strategic clarity with Pakistan while helping it to maintain independence in its foreign policy.
The Latest @ USIP: Venezuelan Youth Lead the Charge for Democracy
While Venezuela’s youth population might be disillusioned with the current political situation, they have shown a deep-rooted commitment to democracy despite the persistent repression of civil society. Wanda Cedeño, national coordinator of Voto Joven (Youth Vote) in Venezuela, discusses why voting is a central part of what it means to be Venezuelan, how her organization is helping youth shape the country’s future through political action and voter participation, and what the international community can do to support free and fair elections in Venezuela.
Stephen J. Hadley on the Invasion of Iraq 20 Years Later
Twenty years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the country’s path toward stability and democracy remains perilous. In the last two decades, Iraq has been plagued by insurgencies, the Islamic State, political gridlock, Iran’s meddling and economic crises, among other things. Despite this, Iraq has managed to hold together, and the country’s story is still unfolding. Stephen J. Hadley, former national security advisor under President George W. Bush and former chair of USIP’s Board of Directors, reflects on the invasion of Iraq two decades later.
The Latest @ USIP: 20 Years of Counterterrorism in Iraq
Over the last 20 years, efforts to stabilize Iraq have been plagued by two powerful terrorist groups: al-Qaida in Iraq and then its progeny, the Islamic State (ISIS). While the country has fortunately managed to hold together in that time, there is still a long way to go toward security and stability in Iraq. Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, the former director of strategy at the National Counterterrorism Center, discusses his time fighting extremist threats in Iraq, why the battle against ISIS is far from over and what the country needs to achieve peace.
The Latest @ USIP: How Illicit Traffickers Exploit China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Transnational organized crime is far more than a law enforcement issue, affecting everything from the environment to public health, education and conflict. Meanwhile, big infrastructure projects like China’s Belt and Road Initiative have the potential to widen the scale of the problem even further, as criminal enterprises can exploit the projects to create new trafficking routes and connect one vulnerable area to one another more readily. Mark Shaw, director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, discusses how his organization’s research on the Belt and Road Initiative has improved our understanding of illicit trafficking and explores how U.S. security assistance can better help countries address the multi-faceted impacts of organized crime.
Ask the Experts: What Does Libya Need for Elections to Succeed?
Abdoulaye Bathily, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative for Libya, recently announced his new plan for elections in Libya, which he hopes will take place later this year. But the plan itself was light on implementation, and after similar plans collapsed in 2021, the U.N. will need to learn from past shortcomings to ensure there is not only a solid basis for elections, but a strong foundation for what comes after as well.